


7 Minutes in Heaven

by StarflakeBurning



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Cottegecore, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Happy Ending, M/M, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-05
Updated: 2020-07-11
Packaged: 2021-03-02 20:27:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,236
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24012838
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StarflakeBurning/pseuds/StarflakeBurning
Summary: When you're secretly in love with your best friend, maybe teaming up with a psychic empath with a sense of humor isn't the best idea.Solving this latest case becomes the least of Dean's worries as Cas falls ill and he has to learn to trust this witch he barely knows to heal him.Happy ending guaranteed! Lots of fluff to make up for the tiny bit of angst!
Relationships: Castiel/Dean Winchester, Original Female Character/Original Nonbinary Character
Comments: 2
Kudos: 48





	1. Local Psychic Teases FBI Agent

It was supposed to be yet another peaceful day in the itsy bitsy town, but instead of relaxing in her little cottage in the woods, Beth found herself in the Sheriff’s office trying to convince him to arrest the vandals who kept spray painting graffiti on her back fence. Sheriff Reynolds was a stubborn, traditional man, and even as he nodded silently to Beth’s accusations, she could feel his complete contempt as it flowed off of him in lazy waves. 

You see, Beth was a psychic, with the ability to sense and feel others’ emotions as if they were her own. This was one of the primary reasons she had agreed with her partner’s plan to move to a tiny cottage in the middle of a stretch of forest. Her partner liked the acres of woods that they now owned, and Beth enjoyed the relative solitude. Feeling other peoples’ constant and varying stream of emotions was exhausting. 

“Sheriff, all I’m asking is that you talk to these teenage boys and warn them not to go anywhere near my fence again.” 

“Mrs. Barnes, I’m sorry to say I can't do anything without some names, and more importantly, evidence.” 

“Then get some evidence! Have one of your officers investigate.” Beth crossed her arms, glaring daggers from where she sat across from him. He leaned forward across his desk, planting his elbows firmly on the surface. 

“I’m so sorry, but we have other, more pressing issues. Next time, just call us when you see those boys by your fence, and we’ll come and catch them.” He sat back in his chair, as if that resolved the matter. The cold contempt began to vanish as he dismissed the matter. 

“But-” she started up again.

“Sir, these two gentlemen would like to speak with you.” The secretary who usually sat at the front desk entered the cramped office space, gesturing to a couple of indistinct figures behind her. 

“Of course, bring them in,” he replied, before turning back to Beth. “Goodbye, Mrs. Barnes.” 

“You didn’t help me though!” She said, even as the two new visitors entered. They brought with them a sort of focused curiosity, undercut by a charged anxiety that almost made Beth jump at its sharpness. 

“I’m sorry, are we interrupting.” The two men squeezed into the space, and the taller one spoke first. Beth quickly assessed them. One taller, with long hair. The other shorter, with a more modern haircut. Both broad and fit looking. Both wearing fancy suits. 

“No, not at all. We were just finishing.” said the Sheriff. Beth sighed. She really didn’t have the energy to keep arguing. But that didn’t stop her from throwing one last icy glare in the Sheriff’s direction before stalking out of his office. But she paused outside the door when she heard the two men introduce themselves as FBI. 

That couldn’t be right, this town barely qualified to have its name on a map. How could something happen that was important enough for the federal government to get involved. She stood to the side of the door frame for a couple more moments, out of sight but still able to listen. 

One of the men was speaking, by her guess, it was the shorter one. “...about the kid who went missing.” 

“The one who disappeared near the Roberts's old place?” the Sheriff asked. Beth didn’t wait for a reply, stepping back into sight of the office. 

“So sorry to interrupt, but I believe I may be able to help you.” 

“Mrs. Barnes I don’t know what you’re-”

“The Roberts’s old place you said right? That’s on my property. My partner and I bought the piece of land just last year.” At the mention of her partner, Beth could feel the disgust rising in the Sheriff, but he didn’t say anything. 

“You own the abandoned house?” The taller of the two asked. 

“Yep. Though we really can’t do much with it due to the fact that it’s haunted.” Beth smiled a bit as she felt the twin spikes of recognition and curiosity from the FBI agents. On the outside however, they suppressed any visible reaction. 

“What do you mean ‘haunted’?” said the shorter one, not mockingly, but with genuine interest. 

“I could tell you the whole story, but I don’t think ghosts are what you’re looking for.” 

“Well anything strange should be taken into account.” the taller one replied. “We’re looking for a missing kid. Has anything particularly unusual happened in that area?” 

“I haven’t been out to check it in a while.” Beth said. “But I can show you two where it’s at and give you the tour.” The pair exchanged a look, and only Beth could feel the magnitude of emotion that was passed back and forth. The shorter one was very anxious, she noticed. 

“Alright. We can do that.” The tall one said as they stood up. “Sheriff, do you have any files on the missing child?” 

The bewildered Sheriff looked up at him. “Uhh, no, this was only just reported, and I didn’t have time to-” 

“Okay then. Let’s go.” The shorter one led the way out of the office. Beth flashed the Sheriff a triumphant smile, before following the agents out. 

The second they walked out into the parking lot, Beth spun around and confronted the pair. 

“You’re not really FBI agents.” It was a statement, but one answered it as a question. 

“No, we’re not. Are you still going to show us the haunted house?” 

“Of course I’ll still show you. And I don’t need to know your real reason for being interested either. But I do want to know your real names.” 

The short haired one took the lead. “My name is Dean Winchester, and this is my brother Sam. Are we good now?” 

“Sure thing buckaroo. My name’s Beth by the way.” She chirped. The one named Sam was surprised by her sudden change in tone. The other one, Dean, was amused. Beth felt these changes and her grin widened. At least one of them had a sense of humor. 

That humor became more evident as she unlocked her car. Dean’s amusement bubbled up even further, and she could tell he was holding back laughter. 

“This your car?” he asked. 

“I know, it’s a bit ridiculous.”

“It’s green.” commented Sam. 

“Technically it’s _sea foam_ green. But yes. He’s also a hybrid, which saves me money on gas.”

“He?” Sam’s own amusement was making an appearance. “Does he have a name?” 

“Why of course. Only psychopaths don’t name their cars.” She paused dramatically. “His name’s Griffin.” 

“Very nice. Y’know Dean here named his car too.” 

“Oh really, which one is it?” 

Dean pointed to an old fashioned thing a few rows down. “Over there. Her name’s Baby.” he was grinning proudly. Beth, however, burst out laughing. 

“Oh man, that is a weird-ass name! What is she, your girlfriend?” She calmed down a bit and put on a mock serious face. “Dean, are you in a relationship with your car?” Dean’s amusement soured. 

“No.” he said gruffly, crossing his arms. “C’mon, we’d better get going.” 

“Alrighty. Just follow behind me, I’ll get us there real quick.” 

True to her word, Beth wove her way out of town, taking the back roads where traffic was thinner. The houses also thinned, getting further and further apart. Eventually, they disappeared all together, replaced by tangled woods. After driving straight for a ways, Beth suddenly turned off onto a narrow side road. This road turned out to be the driveway for the abandoned house, which was much bigger than the Winchesters had anticipated. 

There was a modest amount of clear land around the house, but the woods seemed to be slowly creeping closer, ready to swallow up the rickety structure. Beth leaned against the porch railing, waving to them as they hopped out of the Impala. The boys opted to leave their fancy FBI jackets in the car, and Sam grabbed a small iron bar from the trunk, reasoning that a shotgun might be unnecessary. After all, Beth stood on the porch like it was nothing. Maybe the ghosts were a tad friendlier than what they had encountered before. 

Beth eyed the length of iron. “So you’re hunters?” 

“Damn straight.” Dean replied, still a little ruffled by her earlier jab. 

“Hmm.” Beth stared off into space for a moment. “Then I suppose I should tell you a bit about this particular haunted house, along with what makes these woods so special.” 

“Yeah. That might be helpful.” Sam said. 

“Alrighty then. Well, some time ago a couple of old folks lived here. They didn’t have any kids and they moved here to live out the rest of their days in peace. Then one day the man went crazy and killed his wife and himself. They were both found dead in the backyard. But since this place is so out of the way, they weren’t found for a while. By the time they were discovered, the foxes and coyotes had messed them up pretty bad. With no bodies to burn, there really isn’t much we can do about the spirits. We do know that they’re tied to the house, so we decided to let it decay into nothing over time. Wasn’t like we were using it.” 

“How did he go crazy? And who’s ‘we’?” Sam asked. 

“Back at the Sheriff’s office I mentioned I had a partner. That’s ‘we’. As for why he lost his marbles, the only theory we have is some sort of poison or hallucinogen in the water. These woods have a lot of weird magic stuff in them after all. Reed, my partner, is a bit of a witch. They like studying the strange plants and animals that live here.” 

“Of course it had to be a magic forest with witches.” Dean said, rolling his eyes. 

“One witch. Which, for the record, would never hurt anyone. Both because of morals, and because it would hurt me in turn.” 

“What do you mean? Like it would be a betrayal?” Sam’s eyebrows bunched together, and Beth was struck by the genuine curiosity in his question. 

“Not exactly. You see, I’m a bit of a psychic. But instead of reading people’s minds or seeing into the future, I can feel other peoples’ emotions. And pain is technically an emotion.” She shrugged. 

Dean piped up again. “And now we have a psychic. Great.” 

Beth rolled her eyes. “Are we going to stand here all day or are we gonna look for your missing kid?” 

Dean huffed and walked past her, opening the front door of the house. He and Sam immediately went into defensive mode as they crossed the threshold, Sam lifting the iron bar and Dean glancing around the room. Beth was more calm. “Don’t worry, as long as you don’t disturb anything, the ghosts won’t come out.”

“Disturb anything?” Sam asked. 

“Yeah. Don’t knock over the knick knacks or move the furniture. Doors are fine, but everything else is off limits.” She led them through the bottom floor of the house, and they looked everywhere for evidence in the dust covered rooms. After their search of the bottom floor turned out to be fruitless, Dean pointed to the staircase. 

“Shouldn’t we check up there as well?” 

“No way. The stairs have been chewed up by termites and mold.” She pointed out the broken bottom step. “I’ve tried to get up there once already. If your missing kid was upstairs you’d be able to tell.” 

“So what do we do now?” Sam asked. “He’s clearly not here.” 

“Seems to me that there's two lines of reasoning here.” Beth said. “Either the kid got spooked by the ghosts and ran into the woods, which is unlikely seeing as nothing was disturbed and no one in their right mind would try to navigate the woods.” 

“Or?” Dean prompted. 

“Or he went crazy like the old man and ran off into the woods. Either way, we’ll need to search them.” 

“But didn’t you say that there’s all sorts of nasties in there?” Sam asked. 

“Yeah, but I know the area well enough.” Beth led the way back to the front porch before continuing. “Why don’t you come back tomorrow and I’ll show you around. We can look for the missing kid. Just meet me here at nine o’clock tomorrow morning.” 

“Alright then.” Dean said. “Should we bring anything?” 

“Maybe a couple of friends? The more eyes the better. And we might have to fight off some of those nasties, so bring some weapons for those friends as well.” 

“Sounds like a plan.” Sam said. “We’ll see you then.” 

Lucky for the Winchesters, this particular case wasn’t too far from their home at the bunker. So they headed straight back to inform their only friends of the situation, and hopefully convince them to join in the next day. 

Meanwhile, Beth went back to her little cottage. Her partner was treated to quite the story that night. After they had gotten all the details of the situation, Reed told Beth that they would be off in the furthest corner of the property the next day, so she would be on her own. 

And so the missing kid would have to wait one more day to be rescued. Beth reasoned that he would probably survive the night. Hopefully.


	2. Angelic Teen is Fascinated by Deadly Plants

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things finally get exciting.

At 8:30 in the morning, Beth woke up and got ready for a day of hiking. She packed up a small backpack with a water bottle, trail mix, and a first aid kit, which included both magic and traditional remedies. Then she turned on the coffee maker for Reed when they woke up, wrote them a little goodbye note and headed out. 

The little wood and clay cottage sat in the middle of a windblown meadow. The tall grass had a narrow path cut through it from years of inhabitants walking up and down it. As Beth walked along this path, she glanced over her shoulder, admiring the way Reed’s garden framed the little building. 

The hike to the abandoned house took her through the thickest tangles of woods, cut only by winding paths carved out by deer. Even so, it was a little past nine by the time she arrived. When she emerged from the woods, the Winchesters had already arrived. And it seemed they had brought two friends with them. As Beth drew nearer, she could feel these two new people. One calm and the other excited. Both distinctly angelic. 

She stopped and stood a couple yards away from their parked car. “Hi there! Are you ready to go?” 

“Hey Beth.” Sam said, straightening up from where he was digging around in the trunk of the Impala. “What weapons should we bring anyway?” 

Beth walked over to him, spotting Dean and the two new people as she rounded the car. “Nothing too serious. Maybe a silver knife, but otherwise I don’t think anything in there will try to attack. I’m more concerned about the venomous plants.” she said. 

“Venomous plants?” One of the new people said excitedly. He was a teenage boy, she noticed, tall and lanky with dark blond hair. Though he didn’t seem to be the type to spray paint a fence. Plus his excitement and curiosity were endearing. 

“Yeah, don’t stray off the path. And try not to touch anything.” She shrugged the matter off, but the other newcomer, the boy’s father she presumed, looked concerned. 

“I was under the impression that we would be searching the area. How do you expect us to do that without leaving the path?” Beth turned to him. Yep, definitely an angel, that concern flowing off of him was like a tidal wave. Angel emotions were always intense, just as much a force of nature as they were. 

“The route I plan on taking should be thorough enough. Besides, if the missing kid ran into some venomous plants, it should be that much easier to find him.” 

The man started to comment, but Dean cut him off. “Calm down Cas, compared to our usual cases, this will be a walk in the park. Or y’know, a walk in the woods.” 

Beth rolled her eyes. “You gonna introduce me to your friends, Dean?” 

“This is Castiel, and this is Jack. There, introduced.” Cas rolled his eyes, which just made Dean’s smile even bigger. 

Beth felt a change immediately. Dean’s anxiety was overshadowed by a different feeling. The blooming warmth of romantic love seemed to rise up and overflowed from him, causing her to smile. Her smile only grew as she realized that Cas too felt the same. She wondered if the two were boyfriends. Or maybe husbands? She hadn't noticed a ring on Dean though. 

“Nice to meet you guys, I’m Beth. Are you two Sam and Dean’s friends?” 

Jack piped up this time. “Well Cas is their best friend, and they’re all kinda my dads. It’s complicated.” Ah, so they weren't together. 

“No worries. I just have to ask though, are you like half angel or all angel? It’s hard for me to tell.” 

“Oh! You can tell when people are angels?” 

“Sort of. I can feel people’s emotions, and angels have a particular pattern of feelings. It’s hard to explain, but the point is I can’t really tell where you fall.” 

“That’s an interesting power. Well, my biological dad was an archangel, so I’m half that I guess.” 

“Neat. I’m sure you must have all sorts of interesting abilities then.” 

“Yeah, but I’m kinda not supposed to use them right now.” He looked a bit dejected, and Beth could feel his excitement waver. 

“Whatever, I still think you’re pretty cool.” she said, determined to cheer him up. 

“Thanks.” Jack’s little smile combined with the intensity of his happiness warmed Beth’s heart. It was almost enough to push out the strange suppressed romantic feelings darting between Dean and Cas. 

Beth watched out of the corner of her eye as the pair briefly made eye contact, then quickly looked away. Geez, the two were both adorable and insufferable at the same time. She made a mental note to somehow shove them at each other. Metaphorically of course. 

Sam finally got what he needed from the trunk, and Beth waved for the group to follow her. “Alrighty campers, follow me into the dark and scary woods. Try not to get eaten!” Dean huffed and rolled his eyes. 

They started out retracing her steps, walking single file along the deer path. The woven walls of foliage on either side remained unbroken for almost a half hour of walking. Then Beth led them off of the deer path, and into a clearer area of the woods. She pointed out the strips of red cloth tied around the trees, outlining a much wider path. They walked along in pairs now, Jack and Beth at the front, Dean and Cas behind them, and Sam at the very back. 

Beth almost envied Sam, seeing as he was the sole witness to some strange game Dean and Cas seemed to be playing. Every time she turned to look back at them, she would see them carefully staring off into the distance, scanning the trees. They walked so close on the path that their hands were millimeters away, almost brushing up against each other. In fact, Beth could feel little surges of anxiety from Dean, and when she turned around, he had moved his hand further away from Cas’s. She suspected that this was because they had in fact brushed together accidentally. 

This little bit of romantic tension was bearable for now. Especially since Jack was asking her all about the various flora and fauna that lived in the woods. But she didn’t forget about the pining pair walking behind them, and she began to think of a plan to push them together. 

The paths Beth chose wound in a zigzag-like pattern across the property. Beth knew that in about an hour more, they would reach the halfway point, which just so happened to be the cottage. 

Her plan involved a simple little game called Seven Minutes in Heaven. It had worked for her and Reed, when they had been the only introverts at a rowdy college party. Being shoved in a closet and locked in with your crush was super awkward, but the two had talked to each other instead of making out, and realized they had mutual feelings. 

If the intense romantic tension between Cas and Dean was to be believed, the same game might work for them. Though she’d probably have to trick them into it, seeing as her five-foot-seven-inches frame wasn’t exactly built for dragging two six-foot-plus men into a small room and locking it behind them. Maybe Sam could help.

However, her train of thought was interrupted by a loud rustling up ahead. It sounded like the world’s fattest bird settling down for the night. Beth turned to address the group. “I think there’s something in that tree up ahead.” 

Sam stepped forward. “Let’s go check it out then.” 

“Alright, just be careful everyone. Nobody’s getting their eyebrows eaten today.” 

“Eyebrows?” Jack asked. 

“You know what I meant.” Beth said, before turning on her heel and marching towards the offending tree. 

They approached the tree, and looked up to see a person sitting on a branch some fifteen feet up. He was mostly hidden in the shadows of the branches, but they could clearly see him there.

“Is that our boy?” Beth asked. 

“Looks like him.” Sam said. Cupping one hand around his mouth he shouted up at the kid. “Justin! We’re here to help you.” 

Justin flinched at the sound, and scrambled closer to the trunk of the tree, latching onto it like a koala. “Back off demons!” he said. “You’ll never get my soul.” 

“Look, kid, we’re not demons. We don’t know what you’ve been though, but we are here to help you.” Dean shouted. 

Justin didn’t respond, hugging the trunk of the tree even harder. Beth turned to the others. “I’ve got this guys. I’m light enough to climb up there and pry him off.” 

“But how will you convince him to climb down with you?” Asked Cas. 

“If he thinks that we’re demons, I might as well play along.” She turned to Sam. “Can I borrow your knife? I promise not to actually hurt him, I’ll only scare him a little.” 

Sam hesitated. “Are you sure you’re the best person to get him down? You said you can feel what others are feeling. And it seems like what Justin is feeling is pretty intense. Won’t that be an issue?” 

“I’ll be fine. Besides, it’s the best plan we have right now.” 

“You know she’s right Sam. I mean, I trust her.” Dean said. That was all the reassurance Sam needed. He handed her his knife and she tucked it into her pocket before beginning to scale the tree. 

This particular tree had plenty of branches that were close enough together to climb, which was probably why Justin had chosen it. After about ten feet, the branches were much thinner, and Beth had to stick closer to the trunk as they dipped and swayed beneath her.    
  


Finally, she reached a branch adjacent to Justin. She pulled out Sam’s knife and held it threateningly near to Justin’s face. “Hey there, I’m a demon. And I’ll eat your soul right here and now if you don’t come with me.” 

Justin’s panic was almost overwhelming. And it only got worse as she made her demands. But she was determined to succeed, choosing to let it wash over and through her, as damaging as a breeze. She took a deep breath and poked the knife even closer to Justin. “Get out of this tree now!” he gave a surprised screech, and scrambled down the tree. Beth tucked the knife away again and followed close after.

When Justin reached the ground he tried to make a run for it, but Cas caught him by the arm and yanked him back. Beth hopped down from last branch and rushed over to where they stood. “I know what’s wrong with him.” she panted. 

“What’s that?” Cas asked. 

“I can feel his pain. Check the back of his neck.” Justin squirmed in Cas’s grip, and Sam had to help hold him still. Sure enough, latched onto the back of his neck was a large beetle. It was shiny and red and altogether sinister looking. Beth took Sam’s knife and carefully pried the creature off. 

But she underestimated the amount of magic in it, and when she separated it from Justin’s skin, it exploded into light and sound and energy. Sam, Cas, and Beth were thrown to the ground. Justin, still high on beetle venom, dashed off into the forest. 

Cas was the first to his feet, and he immediately ran off after Justin, followed by Dean and Jack. When Beth got her wits about her again, she realized with horror the direction they were going in. She ran after them, shouting at the top of her lungs. “No! Wait! Stop!” 

Sam quickly caught up to her. “What? Where are they going?” 

She shook her head, still running. “Bad magic up ahead. Just bad.”

When they caught up to the others, the damage had already been done. Dean had Justin wrapped in a bear hug, with Jack beside him. But Cas had collapsed, covered in a suspiciously purple plant pollen. Beth felt his pain in her own lungs and gasped, eyes watering. 

“What the hell is going on?” Dean asked, struggling to hold the writhing teenager. 

Beth sucked in a huge breath of air before responding. “That pollen is poisonous, but it only affects those who already have magic. It’ll corrupt his grace and poison his body at the same time.” 

Dean’s ever present anxiety shot through the roof. But on the outside it manifested as anger. “Son of a bitch! Why does something always have to go wrong?” 

Beth sat down on the forest floor, dizzy from Cas’s pain. “We can heal him, but we’re gonna need Reed. Sam, Jack, help me carry Cas to my cottage. Dean, you keep an eye on Justin, we’ll have to bring him along too.” She rose shakily to her feet. “We need to work fast if we are going to save him. 

Somehow, they managed to get a barely conscious Cas and a delusional teenager all the way back to Beth and Reed’s cottage. But it would be a long wait for Reed to return, as they never brought a phone along with them. In the meantime, Beth would have to make do with what she had. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A cliffhanger! Who would have suspected I would do such a thing?


	3. Former Heavenly Warrior is Cute in Oversized Pajamas

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things get a little more intense, and a whole lot more bloody. But Reed finally makes an appearance.

“We need to get this pollen off of him. Bring him this way.” Beth directed Sam over to the rain barrel next to the garden. it was used to collect rain from the roof to use on the garden. In the base of the barrel there was a tap with a hose attached. 

Beth pointed toward the back door, “Dean, Jack, bring Justin inside and keep him there.” 

“Got it.” Dean replied, and they disappeared inside. 

Sam leaned Cas up against the rain barrel. Beth turned on the hose. “Wait,” Sam said, “Do we really need to hose him down?” 

“Yes, it's the fastest and most efficient way to make sure he’s not infected further.” 

“I guess that makes sense. And you are the expert.” 

“Well I’ve only done this once before” She said, turning the hose on Cas, washing away the splotches of purple pollen. Cas barely reacted to the spray of cold rainwater. 

“Oh.” Sam replied, a little too late. 

When Cas was thoroughly soaked, and all traces of pollen had disappeared, Beth shut off the hose. 

“Okay, go get Dean. The two of you need to carry him inside. I’ll show you where to go.” 

Once the brothers were on either side of the dripping wet Cas, Beth let them through the back door of the cottage, which led into the kitchen. To the left was the bathroom, where she told them to set him down. 

“What now?” Dean asked. 

“Well the wet clothes have to go. I’m sure something of Reed’s will fit him. And while you two help him change I can take care of Justin.”

“Wait what?” Dean said, starting to protest, but Beth had already left to grab Cas a change of clothes. 

The tiny bedroom of the cottage was just big enough to fit a queen sized bed and a dresser, with enough room to walk around. Beth dug through the dresser, coming up with an old pair of cotton pajama pants and a XXL t-shirt that had probably been a free hand out from some event or another. The logo on the front had faded into oblivion. Perfect. 

Oh wait he probably needed dry underwear as well. But neither she nor Reed owned anything big enough. Beth shrugged. It wouldn’t kill the angel. Well it might do a number to his dignity, but judging by his lack of awareness at the moment, that shouldn’t matter. 

She folded up the clothes and handed them to Sam without a word. Then she proceeded to the living room to check in on Jack and Justin. 

The living space of the cottage was shared between a sparse table and chairs on one side, and many bookshelves surrounding a singular couch on the other.  Jack sat on the couch, one hand holding firmly onto Justin’s arm. Poor Justin was panicking like he was being held hostage. He squirmed occasionally in Jack’s grip, and glanced frantically around the room. 

Justin looked like he had spent the majority of the time he was missing stumbling around the woods. His hair was tangled with twigs and leaves, and his clothes were torn and dirty, like he had taken a dive into a bramble patch. And seeing as he had been high as a kite on beetle venom the entire time, that was a possibility. 

Luckily, Reed had a stock of a standard magic antivenom. Beth took the vial from one of the kitchen cabinets. She mixed a few drops of the antivenom into a glass of water, hoping that it would be easier to get it into Justin that way. 

As she finished preparing the water, a surge of emotion struck her from the other end of the house. It was almost certainly Dean, as the usual romantic attraction came first, quickly chased by its saucier counterpart, sexual attraction. Both were immediately smudged out by a heavy dose of shame, which preceded Dean himself as he fled the bathroom. 

He stopped in the kitchen near Beth, forcing his face into a neutral expression. Beth smirked.  _ So the sight of your best friend undressed makes you feel this way? Interesting.  _

But she decided to be merciful. This time. “Heya Dean, can you get Justin to swallow this? It’s antivenom, should fix him right up.” 

“Uh yeah. Sure.” He managed to squeak out, the reddish blush slowly fading from his face. He took the glass from her and walked over to where Justin and Jack were on the couch.

In turn, Beth headed to the bathroom to let Sam know the next part of her plan. Luckily, Cas was fully dressed when she arrived. He also was slightly more conscious, though no less sick. He leaned over the sink, coughing up globs of blood and phlegm. 

Sam was hovering worriedly at his side. “What do we do now?” He asked Beth. 

She sighed. “Reed is the only one who can make the remedy, and they won’t be back for another hour or so. Maybe more.” 

“Can’t you just call them?”

“No. Reed doesn’t carry a phone with them when they go out. Something about wanting to be one with nature or whatever.” 

“So how much time does Cas have?” Sam said in a quieter tone. 

“No way of knowing for sure. But we can do everything we are able to in the meantime.” 

“You know I’m right here?” Cas burbled through another mouthful of blood. 

“Yep, didn't forget. Oh, and just so you know, the poison is currently filling your lungs with blood. If Reed doesn’t get here in time, you’ll drown in it.” 

Cas coughed, spraying the mirror above the sink. “Thanks for the reassurance.” he grumbled. 

Beth smiled sadly. “C’mon bud, let's get you to bed, you need all the rest you can get.”

Cas leaned on Sam, and the trio crowded into the tiny bedroom. Beth wedged the small trash can from the bathroom into the space next to the bed for Cas to spit up blood into. The weakened and slightly embarrassed Cas used up the last of his energy to crawl under the covers, before promptly falling asleep. 

_ He’s kinda adorable.  _ Beth thought. The comically oversized t-shirt made the angel seem tiny, and the striped pajama pants made him look younger. It was the kind of outfit that befitted a little kid. _I don't know what I'll do if he doesn't make it._ She thought as she closed the bedroom door softly behind her. 

Beth and Sam joined the others in the living room.  It seemed that getting Justin to drink the antidote had been quite the battle, as indicated by the splash marks all over the couch, and on his clothes. But Dean had apparently succeeded, as Justin was visibly less panicked. 

Beth explained Cas’s predicament, which made Dean’s anxiety come rushing back in full force. Jack had a more subdued response, almost as if he was resigned to whatever happened. 

“Well what do we do now?” Dean asked, jumping to his feet. 

“In a time of crisis, all you can do is the next right thing. And for now, that means I show Sam the way out of the woods, and he takes Justin back home.” Beth replied.

“But what about Cas?” 

“We can’t do anything until Reed gets back. While I’m away, you just have to make sure he is comfortable and safe.” 

“That’s it?” Dean said, frustration roiling within. 

“For now, yes.” 

“Dean, it’s gonna be ok.” Jack reassured him in a level tone. 

“Fine.” Dean huffed, sitting back down and crossing his arms. 

“Alright then. C’mon Sam, Justin, let’s go.” 

When Sam got back from returning Justin to his parents, Beth decided it was time to put her second plan into action. 

“Hey Sam.” She said on the walk back to the cottage. “What’s up with Dean and Cas?” 

“I’m not sure what you mean.” 

“Well, why aren’t they a couple yet?” Beth grinned as Sam stopped in his tracks. 

“Wait, you’re saying you feel something between them? Like psychically or whatever?" 

“Well yeah, but you’re not blind are you? Those two are smitten.” 

“I mean, I guess I noticed it years ago. But I thought maybe it was just part of their friendship. Y'know how angels aren’t good with human customs. I thought maybe it was just that sort of thing.” 

Beth doubled over laughing. When she caught her breath again, she replied with “Sometimes the simple answer is the right one.” 

Sam shook his head, still looking astonished. “Dean’s just so closed off all the time. I never know what he’s thinking.” 

“Well I know what he’s feeling. And it sure isn’t platonic.” 

“Gross.” Sam said with a laugh. 

“Anyways, I was thinking of locking them into a room together until they admitted their mutual desires.” 

“Yeah I don’t know how you would trick Dean into that.” 

“I’ve got a few ideas. But when the time comes, I’ll need your help.” 

“Sure, I’d love to help those two idiots tell the truth for once.” 

“Perfect. I’ll let you know when.”

Back at the cottage, Jack and Dean had apparently found the pitcher of lemonade that was in the fridge. When Sam and Beth returned, Dean was holding a glass and grumbling under his breath something about the lack of alcohol. Meanwhile Jack sat cross-legged on the kitchen counter, slurping lemonade through a bright red straw. 

Beth smiled and rolled her eyes at the sight of them. “Get off my counter you little rascal.” She said, pretending to be mad. Jack climbed down with all the grace of a lanky teenager. 

Dean pushed off from where he was leaning against the kitchen counter. “Cas is still asleep. Is there any sign of your witch?” 

Beth started to reply, but was interrupted by the front door bursting open. Reed walked in, taking in the numerous guests. “So…” they said, “who’s in trouble this time?” 

After all that time drowning in romantic tension, Beth found great relief in kissing her partner hello. “Reed. It’s so good to see you.” 

“That doesn’t answer my question, dear.” 

“Long story. Why don’t you sit down, darling.” 

The terms of endearment were enough to make Dean roll his eyes. 

Reed set down their bag on the table, the contents rattling in a suspiciously bone-like way.  The witch had definitely embraced the standard aesthetic, with a long green cloak over simple but stylish work clothes. Two rings graced their left hand, one heavy and gold and magic looking, the other banded with black, gray, white and purple, the asexual pride colors. 

When Beth finished retelling the story, Reed thought for a minute, considering all the information. The three quarters of Team Free Will 2.0 waited with bated breath. 

“Okay. So the good news is that I’ve healed an angel from this poison before.” They finally said. 

“The bad news being?” Dean said impatiently. 

Reed nodded to him and continued. “It’s a lengthy and difficult process. First the poison is purged from the body. Then it needs to be surgically separated from the grace. And the body must be healed before I can work on the grace. Depending on how he responds to the healing spell, Cas could be incapacitated for anywhere from a day to a week.” 

Sam was the first to respond. “It doesn’t matter how long it will take. We just want our friend back.” 

Reed sighed and stood up. “Then let’s get started.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Turns our writing when you're not half asleep makes for a better end product. I think this is the best written chapter of this fic so far. Hopefully you guys like it too. Leave me a comment to tell me what you think.


	4. Girl Wishes These Two Idiots Would Kiss Already

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reed gives Cas the first half of the healing spell. All the while, Beth schemes ways to put these pining lovebirds out of their misery.

Soon the cottage was filled with noise and action as Reed began ordering everyone around, setting up a veritable laboratory in the kitchen. Eventually, the swirl of emotions and the constant chatter proved to be too much for Beth to handle. 

“I’m gonna go stick my head in the lake.” She shouted over the din. 

“Watch out for the lake monster!” Reed called back to her affectionately. 

Beth grumbled something under her breath and ducked out the door. 

Reed turned back to the mess of supplies they had gathered. Dried plants, various bones, and some jars of mysterious liquid. The rest of the table held various equipment. Some of it was witchy, some scientific. 

On the inside, Reed was grinning. They loved the thrill of putting together a spell, the pieces coming together like a puzzle, the satisfaction of the final product. 

Under Reed’s instruction, Sam and Jack mixed dry ingredients in a large metal bowl. Dean was sent off to keep an eye on Cas, who had woken up. 

Reed kept all of their spells in a number of different notebooks, all of them scribbled in unreadable handwriting. They ran down the list of instructions frowning in concentration. This particular spell needed lots of ingredients, but very little actual magic. The more intense part would come when they fixed Cas’s grace. But first they had to stop the poison. 

When all the ingredients were incorporated, Reed murmured the incantation, and the mixture glowed softly. 

Sam looked surprised. “That’s it?” 

Reed sighed. “That’s only half the battle.” They poured the liquid into a glass and headed to the bedroom. 

Cas, who was looking paler by the minute, slurped up the mixture with little hesitation. He winced as the substance hit his raw throat. Almost immediately, his lungs stopped aching. 

Dean, who was perched on the edge of the bed, broke the silence. “How are you feeling buddy?” 

“Better, I suppose.” Cas replied. 

Reed spoke up. “Well you’re gonna feel a whole lot worse in a few minutes. That stuff purges the poison, which means the side effects include a whole lot of throwing up. And when that stops, the fever and chills start. But with the right timing, that’s as far as you’ll get. At just the right moment I can perform the second half of the spell, and you’ll be all good” 

Dean’s frown deepened. “And how long will that take?” 

Reed shrugged. “At least a day. Maybe two.” 

“Really? We’re going to have to stay here overnight?” 

“Don’t worry, we have a tent we can set up for you outside. But we’ll also have to stay up in shifts to monitor Cas’s condition. Like I said, this requires the right timing.” 

“Great. I’ll go tell Sam and Jack.” Dean huffed, storming out. 

Reed turned to Cas. “What’s up with him?” 

Cas’s serious expression softened. “He just has trouble expressing himself sometimes. He’s upset and maybe even scared, but it comes out as anger.”

Reed sighed. “This is why I need Beth. People are so confusing.” 

In the living room, Dean had just finished relaying what Reed had said to the others when Beth came back. Sure enough, her short hair was soaked through, along with the top half of her shirt. 

She gestured to the red, ring shaped marks on her cheek. “I hate that lake monster. Reed adopted it, saying that they could train it up as a pet. But now it just sits in that lake, eating anything that comes near it.” 

“But you got away.” Sam said. 

“Yeah, its weakness is anything spicy or irritating. So some poison ivy was all it took for the thing to get its tentacles off of me.” She flopped down onto the couch. 

Reed came out of the bedroom and told her what was going on. “It’s getting close to nightfall.” they said, “We should get that tent set up.” 

From the bedroom came the sound of Cas throwing up. In an instant, Beth was back on her feet. “I’ll take care of him.” she said. 

By the time the sun set, the tent had been set up in the backyard. But it was still much too early to sleep. So the group started a game of UNO instead. 

The hours slowly ticked past. Sam switched out with Beth. Jack fell asleep, with Beth close behind. Dean drained the rest of the lemonade. Reed kept beating everyone at UNO. 

At around midnight, Reed switched out with Sam, then woke up Beth. “You know what to look for, wake me up when he gets there. He’s in the fever and chills phase now. You and Dean will need to work together.” 

Beth glanced at Dean, feeling his waves of dread and anxiety. “This is gonna be fun.” she mumbled. At a normal volume, she said, “Dean, grab some kitchen towels. We need to soak them in cold water.” 

“Why?” 

“Cuz you and I are nurses now, and we’re taking care of Cas. He’s gonna switch between fever and chills, and we need some cold towels to regulate it.” 

Armed with wet towels, the pair entered the bedroom. Cas had already thrown back the blankets, and the whole room was permeated by a thick heat. This wasn’t just a fever, it was an angel fever. 

Cas looked ready to rip off his own skin, but instead they compromised, and he shed the pajama shirt. Right on cue, Dean’s repressed desire came creeping back. But this time the shame came even quicker. Clearly he was kicking himself for thinking like that while the object of his affection was in so much discomfort. 

Beth shook her head hard, trying to push away Dean’s emotions. Now was not the time. They blanketed Cas in wet towels, and the temperature in the room fell marginally. 

Dean sat on the edge of the bed, and Beth leaned against the wall. With the current crisis averted, she let the complicated mixture of Dean and Cas’s feelings wash over her. 

Their attraction was undeniable. Even in the fog of fever, Cas was thinking along the same lines as Dean. Just as much as Dean enjoyed looking at him, he enjoyed being looked at. 

Beth smiled to herself. She was beginning to figure out the details of her plan. She was going to make it impossible for these two pining souls to deny their feelings. 

The fever gave way to chills, and soon Cas was bundled up in layer after layer of blankets. The temperature in the room quickly dropped. Not cold enough to see one’s breath, but enough for Beth to pull on a jacket. 

But even with all the blankets, Cas still shivered violently. Beth gave a pretend sigh. “That’s all the blankets we have. I guess it’s body warmth time.” 

“What do you mean?” Dean asked. But she could tell from his rising panic that he knew exactly what she meant. 

“Cuddle up.” Beth said with a giggle, before slipping under the pile of blankets. She lay face to face with Cas, on the edge of the bed. “Whats up, bud?” She said, wrapping him in an innocent hug. 

Make no mistake, Beth was strategizing. Now Dean would be forced to spoon Cas, seeing as the queen sized bed was too narrow to comfortably fit three people, much less if two of them were grown men. 

Dean hesitated for a moment, then gave in. He clambered awkwardly into the bed, and squeezed into the space left over. At first, he kept his arms tucked up against his chest. But then Cas gave an exaggerated shudder, and Beth glared at Dean over his shoulder. With a tiny sigh, Dean reached out and carefully, oh so carefully, wrapped one arm around Cas. 

But Beth was having none of that. “Hey Cas could you scoot back a little? I don’t want to fall off the edge.” 

“Of course.” He replied, satisfaction evident in his voice. 

Now Dean was pressed up against Cas completely. Beth could feel the attraction from both of them building steadily. It was almost painful, the constant yearning. Within minutes, she found herself wishing they would just kiss. 

Eventually though, the fever returned, and Dean was sent out to re-soak the towels. Beth felt her heart crack a little as Cas turned over and settled into the spot Dean had just vacated. But her heart broke completely in half when she heard him inhale deeply, clearly taking in Dean’s scent. 

_ This is what your everyday life is like?  _ She thought.  _ Clinging onto these tiny crumbs of intimacy? Telling yourself that it will be enough to get you through? _ She shook her head, they really did need her help. 

As she waited for Dean to come back, Beth began to construct the final version of her plan in her mind. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been a while. But here I am with another chapter! Did you enjoy the fluff? Let me know in the comments!


	5. It's All Fun and Games Until Somebody Loses Consciousness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cas finally gets healed. Beth finally puts her plan into motion. 
> 
> Extra short chapter to wrap things up, hope you enjoy!

Reed knelt at the bedside, preparing their supplies. Castiel lay before them, flushed with fever, looking anxiously at the ceiling. 

“Everything’s gonna be okay.” Beth said, elbowing Dean, who was staring at the scalpel that Reed had just laid out. 

“Yeah, you’ll be fine.” Dean said, trying to sound convinced. 

Reed flicked open the piece of parchment with the spell on it. “Maybe you should hold his hand for comfort.” They commented dryly. 

Dean drew breath to reply, but stopped when Cas reached over and took his hand. Before either of them had time to think about it, Reed was ready. Beth had to glance away as they carefully cut open a slit on Cas’s neck, laying his grace bare. The normally white energy was tinted a sickly yellow with streaks of bruise-like purple. 

The spell was long and complicated, and sweat dripped from Reed’s brow as they recited it, sparks of magic flowing into the infected grace. Beth could feel Cas’s pain as the process went on, and she could see his grip tighten around Dean’s hand. 

Slowly, the grace returned to it’s healthy white color. Reed used one last bit of magic to heal Cas’s skin around it. With a sigh they said, “Alright then, now that that’s done, get out of my bed so I can take a nap.” 

Beth nodded. “By the way Cas, I washed your clothes. But I’m sure you feel pretty icky, what with the sweat from the fever, and being stuck in bed. Why don’t you take a shower?” 

Cas climbed out of bed, much stronger than he had been a few minutes ago. Dean followed Beth and Cas out of the bedroom, hanging back when she handed Cas a towel, directing him towards the bathroom. “Your clothes are still outside drying. I’ll hand them to you through the door when you’re done.” 

“Thank you.” Cas said. 

Beth nodded, then headed back to the living room. Sam stood up to meet her. “Cas is healed?” 

“Yep. And the plan is in motion.” 

“Great. Where do you need me?” 

“Wait for my signal, then get ready to push Dean into the bathroom.” 

“You got it.”

“What are you guys whispering about?” Dean interjected. 

“I’m just telling Sam that you’ll have to stay here for a few minutes, then y’all can be on your merry way.” 

“Okay?” Dean shook his head slightly, then sat down beside Jack on the couch. Jack immediately began to tell him all about all the poisonous plants he had been reading about in a book he had found on the shelf. 

Five minutes later, Beth heard Cas calling her from the bathroom. 

“Do you have my clothes?” He asked through the door. 

“Yep! Just one sec, I need to get them down from the line.” She ducked outside, pulled his clothes down from the laundry line, and hastily folded and stacked them. It was difficult, seeing as he wore so many layers. Then she darted back inside. “Hey Dean, Sam, could I get a hand with this?” 

“Sure.” Dean called back, getting up. Sam followed close behind, a devilish grin spreading across his face. 

Five things happened in quick succession. First, Beth knocked on the door, and Cas cracked it open. Second, she stuffed the stack of folded clothes into Dean’s arms, and yanked the door the rest of the way open, stepping to the side. Third, Cas yelped in surprise and jumped back behind the shower curtain. Fourth, Sam shoved Dean from behind and he stumbled into the bathroom. Finally, Beth slammed the door shut, and Sam handed her a chair to wedge beneath the doorknob. 

Almost immediately, there was a loud bang as Dean kicked the door. But the chair held firm. 

Enraged, Dean shouted, “What the hell! I knew I couldn’t trust a psychic!” 

“This is for your own good Dean.” Sam said, choking back laughter. 

“Yeah Dean, I thought you might need…” Beth paused for effect. “...seven minutes in heaven.” 

“Son of a bitch.” Dean growled, then went quiet. 

Beth sat down next to the door, and Sam went back to the kitchen, content to wait. Beth closed her eyes and honed in on her psychic powers, interpreting the waves of emotion, and painting herself a mental picture of what was going on inside that bathroom. 

_ Dean leans against the door, panic rising inside him. Cas hides behind the shower curtain. Even though he has a towel secured around his waist, he does not want to face Dean.  _ _ Dean sighs heavily in resignation. “Cas, buddy, why don’t I hand you your clothes and you can get changed behind that curtain. Maybe by then this stupid game will be over.”  _

_ “Game?” Cas asked, confusion cutting through his overwhelming embarrassment.  _

_ “Yeah, seven minutes in heaven. It’s a dumb party game. You lock two people in a closet together and...never mind.”  _

_ “Well if it’s only seven minutes, I think we can wait it out.”  _

_ “Yeah. Unless…” Dean has a sinking feeling Beth will know if they didn't make out, with her emotion sensing powers and whatnot. But he pushes the thought away and scoops up the pile of Cas’s clothes. “Here you go.” he says, holding out the pile, standing just outside the shower curtain.  _

_ Cas pulls the curtain aside, and Dean feels like his heart is going to explode. He’s wearing nothing but a towel. A towel. Dean freezes up completely, a mix of panic and pure attraction causing his brain to crash like an overloaded computer. Cas reaches for his clothes, but stops when he notices Dean’s stare.  _

_ “Dean?” Cas says, slowly taking the pile of clothes. Dean painstakingly drags his gaze up, meeting Cas’s eyes.  _

_ “Umm...er...uh...I mean…” Dean stammers and blushes and looks away. Cas, who is just as embarrassed, starts to close the curtain again. “Wait!” Dean says.  _

_ “What?”  _

_ “Um.” Dean hadn’t gotten that far. All he knew was that this was an opportunity. And he couldn’t let it go to waste.  _

_ But Cas felt his embarrassment melt away. He felt the confidence of someone who knew that his crush was also attracted to him. But seven minutes wasn’t very much time, so he would have to make it last. “Are you suggesting I get changed with the curtain open?”  _

_ “Well I don't...I mean...I-I-I” Dean began to stutter as Cas looked him right in the eye. It was the same look they had shared, all those years ago. It was the one he had commented on, something along the lines of ‘ _ the last time someone looked at me like that…’

_ It had the same effect as it did way back then. Dean had officially gone into disaster bi panic mode. Cas was flirting with him! Right here and now! What was happening? Out of all the world ending situations Dean had survived, this one was the most shocking.  _

_ And he nearly fainted when Cas turned his back, dropped the pile of clothes in the tub, and pulled off his towel.  _

When Beth felt the surge of sexual attraction, she realized how weird and creepy it was to spy on them like this. They deserved some privacy. She stumbled to her feet and dashed outside. 

The wave of attraction hit a sharp peak, and she knew they had kissed. Her knees buckled and she fell face first into the ground. She lay in the long grass until Sam came rushing outside after her. 

“Are you okay?” He asked frantically, rolling her over. 

Beth stared dizzily at the bright blue sky. The emotions from those two just kept getting higher and higher, climbing up and up to a...climax. Beth’s vision blacked out for a moment, before the waves finally began to ebb. Now that she had room to breathe, she managed to croak out a few words. “They did it.”

“Who did what?” Sam said. 

“I thought those two idiots would just make out. But no, they went all the way.” She groaned aloud. “I’m gonna have to disinfect that whole bathroom. Twice.” She rolled back over and pressed her face into the dirt, just as she felt Dean and Cas start to go at it again. 

Beth had not expected to play matchmaker when she went to the Sheriff’s office to complain. But now she was beginning to regret meeting those two at all. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That last scene is how I, a demisexual person, feel while reading sex scenes. I hope you enjoyed this extremely short chapter. Hopefully in the future I will actually sit down long enough to write some longer chapters in future fics. 
> 
> Check me out on tumblr, @starflake-burning

**Author's Note:**

> Please comment to tell me what you think of my newest idea!


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